This is not a legal document. For legal information, refer to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations or the Citizenship Act and Regulations, as applicable.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

Overview

This guide is designed to help you determine if you are eligible to apply for an extension of your work permit or change conditions of your stay in Canada, including applying for an initial work permit (see the section Who may apply for a work permit from within Canada?).

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Bangladesh

Burma (Myanmar)

Cambodia

Colombia

Congo, Democratic Republic of

Egypt

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Iraq

Jamaica

Jordan

Laos

Lebanon

Libya

Nigeria

Pakistan

Palestinian Authority

Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of

Somalia

Sri Lanka

Sudan

South Sudan

Syria

Tunisia

Vietnam

Yemen

Biometric (fingerprints and photo) requirements

If you are applying:

to extend your stay as a visitor, student, or worker (in Canada applicants) you are exempt from giving biometrics until the in-Canada service is established in 2019.

for an initial work or study permit or for a new visitor visa you may have to leave Canada to give your biometrics at the nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC). You’ll receive a letter from us with further instructions.

Determining eligibility

Workers are a class of temporary resident who are legally authorized to enter Canada temporarily to work. They are subject to various conditions.

This application guide is for temporary residents who are already in Canada and wish to:

extend their stay as a worker;

change conditions of their stay as a worker;

change their class to include permission to work; or

correct problems in their status.

If you are currently working in Canada and want to change conditions on your work permit (e.g. change length, employer or occupation), you must apply and obtain a new work permit. You should apply before making the change. For any permit, you should always apply at least 30 days before your status expires.

Normally, a work permit must be applied for prior to coming to Canada. Only in a few special circumstances presented in this guide can an initial work permit be applied for within Canada:

you presently hold a valid study or work permit;

you are the spouse of a study or work permit holder;

you were previously authorized to work without a permit;

you presently hold a valid Temporary Resident Permit;

you are a refugee claimant or an applicant for permanent residence in Canada under section 207 of the IRPR, or

you are a trader or investor, intra-company transferee or professional under NAFTA.

Note: The validity of your work permit cannot exceed the validity of your passport. Therefore, you should ensure that your passport will be valid for a longer period than your requested extension.

Loss of temporary resident status:

You lose your temporary resident status and authorization to work if your status has expired, you did not comply with all of the conditions on your permit or you have worked or studied without a required permit. If you have lost your status, you may have committed an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and could be subject to an admissibility hearing that could lead to your removal from Canada.

If your temporary resident status expired and you wish to stay in Canada, you may apply for restoration of status within 90 days of your permit expiry date or you must leave Canada. If you wish to apply for restoration, complete the enclosed application providing full details of how you came to commit the offence. There is no guarantee that your application will be accepted. See the section Restoration of Status.

It is illegal to remain in Canada beyond the validity of your status in Canada.

After reading this guide, if you believe you are eligible to apply then you should proceed as instructed below:

Gather all the necessary documents. They are listed on the Document Checklist.

Calculate and pay the fees.

Fill in the forms carefully and completely.

Sign and date your forms.

Submit your application, required fees and all supporting documents online or by mail.

Processing times for your application

The Case Processing Centre will review your application to determine if it is complete. If your application is not signed, if all mandatory sections are not completed, or if the required fee is missing, your application will be returned to you and you will have to re-apply.

Note: If your application is rejected as “incomplete”, it is considered to have never been submitted and therefore you would not benefit from ‘implied status’. If you reapply after your current status has expired, you will need to apply for restoration of status. See the section Restoration of Status.

If your application is complete, the Case Processing Centre will send you either:

a visitor record, a new work permit or a new study permit; or

a letter refusing your application; or

notification that your application has been referred to a local Canada Immigration Centre for further assessment.

If your application is referred to a local office, they will contact you to obtain additional information or clarification and if required, invite you to an interview. It may take up to three months for them to contact you.

Once they receive the additional information or clarification, the local office will complete the final stages of processing. The local office will notify you by mail of their decision.

Note: The Case Processing Centre receives large volumes of applications in the temporary resident categories each year. It is recommended that you apply at least 30 days before the expiry of your current document. However, you may want to apply in advance of this recommended period since processing delays vary. Check our current processing times.

Status in Canada

Who receives temporary resident status?

All persons coming to Canada who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents can request to enter as visitor, student or worker. When they enter Canada they are given temporary resident status for a limited period of time.

How do I know the expiry date of my temporary resident status?

Temporary residents travelling with passports:

When you arrived in Canada and gave your passport to the officer, they authorized your stay by placing a stamp in your passport and/or issuing an additional document. Check your passport. If you find a stamp, it should look like one of these.

For example, if the officer specified a date as shown in the above illustration, your temporary resident status would expire on June 30th, 1993.

If there is no stamp, a handwritten date or document in your passport, your temporary resident status will expire six months from the day you arrived in Canada.

If you were given a visitor record, study or work permit, the expiry date is marked on the document.

When applying to change conditions or extend your stay in Canada, you are required to submit photocopies of passport pages clearly showing the stamp made by Canadian authorities on your most recent entry to Canada.

Note:

For applicants who require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada: The renewal of a work permit does not affect your TRV. If you wish to leave and re-enter Canada, it is your responsibility to make sure your TRV stays valid. If you currently reside in Canada and would like to get a new TRV, you must apply for a TRV to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa before leaving. If you decide to leave, you must apply for and obtain a TRV abroad by applying to a Canadian migration office (see Application for a Temporary Resident Visa).

For applicants who require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada: As of May 1st, 2017, an eTA is automatically issued to you with the renewal of your work permit. However, if you plan to leave and return to Canada by air before you renew your permit, you must apply for an eTA separately.

Travelling outside Canada while your work permit is being processed:

If you have applied to extend your work permit and plan to travel outside Canada while your application is in process, you can leave and come back. However, one of three things will happen when you return to Canada:

If we haven’t made a decision on your work permit, you may be allowed to come back to Canada as a visitor. If this is the case, you can’t work until you get your new work permit. The officer at the port of entry may ask you to prove that you have enough money to support yourself in Canada.

You may be allowed to come back to Canada as a worker, if the officer at the port of entry determines that we issued your work permit while you were away.

You may be asked to apply for a new work permit at the port of entry.

Note:

It’s possible that you will not be able to enter Canada. The final decision is always made by the officer at the port of entry.

Citizens of the United States (U.S.) do not require passports or travel documents to enter or return to Canada. Lawful permanent residents of the U.S. require an eTA if they are travelling to Canada by air, including if they are entering Canada from the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon. Both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents of the U.S. must provide documentary proof of citizenship or permanent residence such as a national identity card or an alien registration card.

May I leave, then re-enter Canada?

Yes. However, you must ensure that you have the right travel documents to return to Canada.

A work permit isn’t a travel document. It doesn’t give you the right to travel to Canada. Along with your permit, you need either:

Having an eTA or a visa, along with your work permit, doesn’t guarantee that we’ll let you back into Canada. You must show the border services officer that you meet all the requirements before we’ll let you re-enter.

If you’re from a visa-exempt country

If you received your initial work permit before August 1, 2015, you need to apply for an eTA if you don’t already have one.

If you received your initial work permit on or after August 1, 2015, you already have an eTA. We automatically issued it to you when we approved your initial work permit. It’s valid for 5 years or until your passport expires. See your letter of introduction for details.

Renewing your work permit

If your application for a work permit renewal is approved on or after May 1, 2017, we will automatically issue you an eTA.

If your work permit was approved before May 1, 2017 and you don’t already have an eTA, you’ll need to get one before you return to Canada by air.

If you’re from a visa-required country

You’ll need a valid visa and a valid work permit to return to Canada to work. You don’t need a valid visa if you return directly from a visit only to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon. You must re-apply for a visitor visa if your visa:

has expired or

was only valid for a single entry to Canada

Starting May 1, 2017, eligible citizens of select visa-required countries will receive an eTA when they renew their work permit. The eTA is electronically linked to the passport you used to renew your permit and is valid for five years or until your passport expires. You can only use the eTA when you fly to, or transit through Canada by air. You’ll receive a letter from us with information about your eTA number and expiration date.

Note:

If you already have a valid visitor visa, you can use it to travel to Canada until it expires. A visitor visa will let you travel to Canada by plane, car, bus, train or boat.

It’s possible that you will not be able to enter Canada. The final decision is always made by the officer at the port of entry.

Citizens of the United States (U.S.) do not require passports or travel documents to enter or return to Canada. Lawful permanent residents of the U.S. require an eTA if they’re travelling to Canada by air, including if they’re entering Canada from the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon. Both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from the U.S. must provide documentary proof of citizenship or permanent residence such as a national identity card or an alien registration card.

Working in Canada

What is work?

Work is an activity for which wages or commission is earned, or even if unpaid, that competes directly with activities of Canadian citizens or permanent residents on the Canadian labour market.

What is a work permit?

A work permit is a written authorization to work in Canada issued by an officer to a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. It is required if the employment location is in Canada, whether or not the employer is in Canada.

Employer Compliance Regime

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) contain requirements that enable Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to better protect your rights when you come to work in Canada by ensuring that employers respect the terms of their offers of employment.

In a work permit application, the employers will be evaluated on:

whether the offer of employment is genuine,

past history of employers compliance to the commitments outlined in offers of employment to foreign workers hired in the past six years in respect to wages, working conditions and the occupation,

compliance with Federal-Provincial or Territorial Laws, and

if the employer has been banned from hiring a foreign national as per the IRPR.

In cases where the employer is found to have not complied with previous commitments to foreign workers, the employer may be deemed ineligible to hire a foreign worker for two years.

Note: If your employer is a mission, foreign government, international organization or a bridge or tunnel authority, they may be exempt from the Employer Compliance Regime. Find out more about this exemption.

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

An LMIA is an assessment provided by ESDC which enables an IRCC or CBSA officer to determine whether the employment of the foreign worker is likely to have a positive or neutral impact on the labour market in Canada. An LMIA may be required in order for a work permit to be issued. The LMIA must be included with your work permit application.

Offers of Employment from a specific employer for LMIA-exempt foreign workers

If an employer is offering you a specific job, then you need an Offer of Employment number. In order to obtain this number, the employer must use the Employer Portal to:

submit the offer of employment information and

pay the $230 employer compliance fee or upload proof of their fee exemption

Make sure the employer gives you the Offer of Employment number before you submit your work permit application. The Offer of Employment number starts with an “A” and is followed by 7 numbers.

Who may apply for a work permit from within Canada?

Important: The ability to apply in Canada does not guarantee acceptance. Eligibility criteria for the category of work permit must be met.

The following persons may apply for a work permit from within Canada:

Holders of work or study permits and their family members;

Note: Spouses or common-law partners of highly skilled foreign workers may themselves be authorized to work without first having confirmation from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). In the case of workers destined for Quebec, without having to obtain a CAQ from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI). The principal foreign worker must be doing work which is at a level that falls within National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Levels O, A or B in order for them to qualify for a work permit. These skill levels include management and professional occupations and technical or skilled tradespersons. See if you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment.

Successful graduates from a program at a Canadian university, community, college, CÉGEP, or publicly funded trade/technical school (or from a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees) who wish to work for a maximum of one or two years in employment related to their course of study. The maximum length will depend on the length and location of their studies, and the location of their employer. Graduates must submit an application for a work permit within 90 days of the issuance of your final marks. Their study permit must be valid upon submission of their application for a work permit. For further details refer to the Stay in Canada after graduation;

Persons currently working in Canada, who are not business visitors and who don’t require a work permit, who are applying for secondary employment in Canada;

Holders of temporary resident permits (TRPs) valid for a minimum of 6 months and their family members;

Refugee claimants and persons subject to an unenforceable removal order;

In-Canada permanent resident applicants and their family members who are members of the following classes, determined eligible for permanent resident (PR) status: live-in-caregiver, spouse or common-law partner, protected persons, and humanitarian and compassionate considerations (H&C);

Persons whose work permits were authorized by a migration office abroad, where the permit was not issued at a port of entry;

Mexican citizens who have been admitted to Canada as visitors may apply for a work permit under any North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) category. U.S. citizens admitted as visitors may apply in Canada under the Professional or Intra-company Transferee NAFTA categories only. These provisions are in accordance with reciprocal arrangements.

What requirements must I meet to obtain a work permit?

You must show the officer that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay. You must:

satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your employment,

show that you have enough money during your stay in Canada to take care of yourself and your family members and to return home,

be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to provide a Police Clearance Certificate),

not intend to engage in employment with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages,

provide any additional documents requested by the officer to establish your admissibility.

What information and documentation do I require?

In addition to the requirements for all temporary residents, you must provide:

a copy of the LMIA provided by ESDC, if applicable, and a copy of your job offer letter from your prospective employer;or
the Offer of Employment number (The Offer of Employment number starts with an “A” and is followed by 7 numbers). Your employer should provide it to you;

evidence that you meet the requirements of the job, possibly including specific educational requirements and a valid Canadian provincial or territorial trade certificate;

a copy of the Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion (MIDI) if you work in Quebec or will be working in Quebec. If you do not need an ESDC confirmation you will usually not need a CAQ;

Note: If you are in the Live-in Caregiver program and are still within your qualifying period for permanent residence (i.e. within 4 years of your arrival in Canada), please provide a copy of your employment contract and your LMIA which was issued on or before November 30, 2014.

Note: If you are in the International Experience Canada (IEC) program and want to extend your status as a worker to reach the maximum duration allowed under the bilateral agreement or arrangement, you will need to provide proof of health insurance that is valid for the duration of the time you are seeking to extend your stay. If proof of your insurance is not valid for the entire period for which you are seeking an extension of the work permit, the duration of your work permit may be shortened accordingly. This only applies to IEC participants who want to extend their status as workers with the same employer and under the same conditions of their initial work permit.

If you are a refugee claimant you will need to prove that you cannot support yourself without recourse to social assistance (welfare). For example, if you are currently receiving social assistance, attach a letter from the provincial social services department indicating you are receiving money or attach a cheque stub if it indicates clearly that is was issued by the provincial social services department.

Are there any conditions on my work permit?

An officer may impose, vary or cancel conditions when issuing a work permit. These may include one or more of the following:

the type of employment in which you may work;

the employer for whom you may work;

where you may work;

how long you may continue to work;

the times or period of work.

When is a medical examination required?

If you plan to remain in Canada for six months or less:

you generally do not require a medical exam.

If you plan to remain in Canada for another six months or longer:

You will need a medical exam if you have lived temporarily for six or more months in a row

in the one year immediately before the date of your application. (This applies even if you are a citizen of a country that does not need a visa to enter Canada.)

Regardless of the length of time you are in Canada, you will need a medical exam if you wish to work in one of the following fields:

a designated occupation, such as the field of health services or with children. Examples of designated occupations include hospital staff, clinical laboratory workers, patient attendants in nursing and geriatric homes, and medical and dental students admitted to attend Canadian universities;

to work in agricultural occupations, you will need a medical exam if you have lived in certain countries or territories.

Medical exams should be done at least two months before the current expiry of your permit and intended future employment, to avoid processing delays and the return or refusal of your application due to incomplete information.

Note: When medical results are submitted up-front, routine cases benefit from faster processing since we do not have to request them at a later date. If you choose to have an upfront medical exam, you must submit proof that you completed the medical examination with your application. Failure to do so may result in processing delays.

Restoration of status

You may be able to restore your status as a visitor, student or worker within 90 days of losing it, if you lost it because:

you stayed in Canada longer than the period authorized for your stay (but not longer than 90 days).

you changed employers, location of employment, or type of work (occupation or level of responsibility) before obtaining a new work permit.

you changed the type of studies, educational institutions, location of studies, or times and periods of studies without applying to change these conditions on your study permit if they were specified on your study permit.

You may still be eligible for restoration if you continue to meet the initial requirements for your stay and have not failed to comply with other conditions imposed.

If you wish to obtain a new study or work permit and restore your temporary resident status, you must

submit your application within 90 days of losing your status

explain all of the facts and circumstances that prevented you from complying with the conditions of your permit

keep meeting the requirements for your stay

meet all the remaining conditions listed on your permit, and

pay your fees

Restoration applies to each family member who has lost his or her status. There is no guarantee that your application will be approved.

Completing the forms

The documentation you provide will be used to establish that your authorization to remain in Canada would not be contrary to the Act. You must provide truthful, accurate information. The information provided may be verified. Processing will stop immediately if you give false or misleading information. It is an offence under section 127 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to knowingly make a false statement on this form.

It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on these forms. The information you provide on your application is subject to verification.

Be complete and accurate

Complete all sections. If a section does not apply to you, write "Not Applicable" or "NA", except for your name (last name and given name[s]). Refer to questions 1 and 2 under "Personal Details" section for further instructions. The application must be signed and dated.

If your application is incomplete it may be rejected and this will delay the processing of your application.

If you need more space for any section, print out an additional page containing the appropriate section, complete it and submit it along with your application.

Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM 5710)

Who must fill out this application form?

This form must be completed by each person who wants to apply for an extension of their work permit or change conditions of their stay in Canada, including applying for an initial work permit.

Completing the form

You must answer all the questions on this application form unless indicated otherwise.

Download and fill out the application form on a computer.

You also have the option of saving your form and completing it later.

Note: Completing the form electronically is easier and reduces the risk of errors that can slow down the application process.

In order to help you fill out the application form, read and follow the steps below.

Question 1

Type your Unique Client Identifier number (UCI).

Note: The UCI or Client ID can be found on your study or work permit under the section “Country of Citizenship”.

Question 2

From the list, select the language (English or French) in which you would like to receive your service.

Question 3

Check the appropriate box or boxes to indicate if you are applying for:

A work permit with the same employer

An initial work permit or a work permit with a new employer

Restoration of your status as a worker

An initial or an extension of a temporary resident permit

Personal details

Question 1

Full name

Type your family name (surname) as it appears on your passport or travel document (even if the name is misspelled). Do not use initials.

Note: If you do not have a family name on your passport or travel document, enter all your given names here and leave the given name field blank.

Type all of your given names (first, second, or more) as they appear on your passport or travel document (even if the name is misspelled). Do not use initials.

Note: If you do not have a given name on your passport or travel document, leave this field blank. Do not enter “*”, “Not applicable” or “NA”.

Question 2

Nicknames / Alias

Check the box to indicate if you ever used any other name. This could include your birth name, maiden name, married name, nickname, etc.

If you checked “Yes”, type any other family name that you have ever used.

If you checked “Yes”, type any other given name (first, second, or more) that you have ever used.

Question 3

From the list, select your sex (male, female or unknown).

Question 4

Indicate your date of birth. If your complete date of birth is unknown, please use “*” (star sign/asterisk) to fill in the spaces for the year, month or day, where applicable.

Question 5

Type your city or town of birth.

From the list, select your country of birth.

Question 6

From the list, select your country of citizenship. To be a citizen of a country means that you were either born in that country (in most cases) or have been granted citizenship by that country. If you have dual citizenship, select the country that issued the passport you will be using for this trip.

Question 7

From the list, select the appropriate information to indicate your immigration status in Canada:

Citizen

Permanent resident

Visitor

Worker

Student

Other

Protected Person

Refugee Claimant

Foreign National

Other: This section must be completed if you selected “Other” as a status.

Provide the dates (From-To) to indicate how long you have had this status.

For out-of-status applicants:

Under “Status” select “Other”;

Under “Other” type in “Out of status, requires restoration”;

Leave the “From” and “To” boxes blank.

Question 8

Check the box to indicate whether you have lived in any country other than your country of citizenship or your current country of residence for more than six (6) months in the past five (5) years.

If you checked “Yes”, from the list select the appropriate information to indicate the following:

The name of the country you lived in,

Your immigration status for the time you were in that country:

Citizen

Permanent resident

Visitor

Worker

Student

Other

Protected Person

Refugee Claimant

Foreign National

Other: This section must be completed if you selected ‘Other’ as a status,

The dates (From – To) you were living in that country.

Question 9

From the list, choose your current marital status:

Annulled Marriage: This is a marriage that is legally declared invalid. An annulment can also be a declaration by the Catholic Church that the marital union did not have a binding force.

Common-Law: This means that you have lived continuously with your partner in a marital-type relationship for a minimum of one year.

Divorced: This means that you are officially separated and have legally ended your marriage.

Legally Separated: This means that you are married, but no longer living with your spouse.

Married: This means that you and your spouse have had a ceremony that legally binds you to each other. Your marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it was performed and in Canada.

Single: This means that you have never been married and are not in a common-law relationship.

Widowed: This means that your spouse has died and that you have not re-married or entered into a common-law relationship.

Enter the date (year, month and day) you were married or you entered into your current common-law relationship.

Type the family names and given names of your current spouse or common-law partner.

Check “Yes” or “No” to indicate if your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

Note: If you are in a common-law union, you must also complete the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) form and include it with your application. If you are married, you must provide a photocopy of your Marriage license or certificate with your application.

Question 10

Check the box to indicate whether you have previously been married or in a common-law relationship. If you checked “Yes”, provide the:

Family name(s),

Given names,

Type of relationship:

Common-law, or

Married.

Dates (From-To) for which you were in the relationship with your previous spouse or common-law partner,

Date of birth

Language

Question 1

From the list, select your first (native) language. This is the language that you learned at home during your childhood and which you still understand.

Note: If your native language does not appear in this list, select “other”.

If your native language is not English or French, write which one you use mostly:

English

French

Neither

Question 2

From the list, select whether you are able to communicate in English, French or both:

English

French

Both

Neither

Question 3

Check Yes or No to indicate if you have taken a test from a designated testing agency to assess your proficiency in English or French.

Passport

Question 1

Type your valid passport or travel document number exactly as indicated on your document. Make sure there is no space between each number or letter.

Question 2

From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your passport or travel document.

Question 3

Enter the date your passport or travel document was issued.

Question 4

Enter the date your passport or travel document will expire.

Question 5

For this trip – Check Yes or No to tell us if you are using a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that shows your personal identification number.

Question 6

For this trip – Check Yes or No to tell us if you are using a National Israeli passport.

National Identity Document

Question 1

Check Yes or No to tell us if you have a national identity document.

Question 2

Enter your national identity document number exactly as shown on the document.

Question 3

From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your national identity document.

Question 4

Enter the date your national identity document was issued.

Question 5

Enter the date your national identity document will expire.

US PR Card:

Question 1

Check Yes or No to tell us if you are a lawful Permanent Resident of the United States with a valid alien registration card (green card).

If applicable, type your e-mail address using a format similar to the following: name@provider.net

Note: Please ensure this email address is checked regularly. Any emails sent to you by CIC will end in “@cic.gc.ca”, or “@canada.ca”, or “@international.gc.ca”. Please add these to your “safe senders” list in your email program and check the junk mail folder in case important emails get filtered. If CIC is advised that the email address you provided is not functional or no longer exists, we will communicate with you by mail. By indicating your e-mail address, you are hereby authorizing transmission of correspondence including file and personal information to be sent electronically to you at the address provided.

Coming into Canada

Question 1

Provide the date and the place where you first entered in Canada

Question 2

Indicate the purpose of your original visit:

Business

Tourism

Study

Work

Other (medical visit, transit, etc.)

Family Visit

If you choose "Other" in question 1a), provide details.

Question 3

Provide the date and the place of your recent entry to Canada

Question 4

Provide the document number of your most recent Visitor Record, study or work permit.

Details of intended work in Canada

Question 1

Indicate the type of work permit you want:

Co-op work Permit

Exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment

Labour Market Impact Assessment Stream

Live-in Caregiver Program

Open Work Permit

co-op

post-graduation work permit

Other

If you choose “Other” in question 1a), provide details.

If you chose “Open work permit” or post-graduation work permit no information is required for question: 2,3,4,6,7,8.

Note: If you are applying to extend your status in Canada to work for a foreign mission or international organization recognized under the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act (FMIOA), a foreign government or bridge or tunnel authority, chose “other”. Your employer is required to provide you with an employment contract or an employment letter, including:

name of employer

address of employer

title

salary

hours of work and

any other pertinent details.

Your employer is not required to submit an Offer of Employment through the Employer Portal and consequently you are not required to provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number or Offer of Employment (LMIA-exempt) number.

Note: A work permit cannot be issued for a duration longer then the passport

Question 6

Type the seven-digit number of your valid Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or the alpha numeric combination of the Offer of Employment (LMIA-Exempt) number. This number begins with the letter “A” and is followed by seven numbers.

If you are applying for a co-op or post-graduation work permit this is not required.

Question 7

Provide the following details about your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ):

Certificate Number

Expiry Date

Note: As of August 2, 2018, the CAQ no longer has a written expiry date. You must calculate your expiry date based on your intended work start date plus the duration of your CAQ. For example, if you intend to start working on January 1, 2019 and your CAQ is valid for 24 months, enter December 31, 2020 for the expiry date.

If you are applying for a co-op or post-graduation work permit this is not required

Question 8

Select “Yes” if you have been issued a certificate under the Provincial Nominee program. Otherwise, select “No”.

Education

Check the box to indicate if you have any post-secondary education (including university, college or apprenticeship training).

The following table provides examples of post-secondary education:

Trade / Apprenticeship

Training completed in a specific trade, such as carpentry or auto mechanics.

Non-university certificate / diploma

Training in a profession that requires formal education but not at the university level (for example, dental technician or engineering technician).

Bachelor’s degree

Academic degree awarded by a college or university to those who completed an undergraduate curriculum; also called a baccalaureate. Examples include a Bachelor of Arts, Science or Education.

Master’s degree

Academic degree awarded by a graduate school of a college or university. You must have completed a Bachelor’s degree before a Master’s degree can be earned.

PhD

Highest university degree, usually based on at least three years of graduate studies and a thesis. Normally, you must have completed a Master’s degree before a PhD can be earned.

If you checked “Yes”, provide full details of your highest level of post-secondary education:

Enter the dates (year and month) you attended the institution,

Field(s) of study (mechanics, social sciences, medicine, etc.),

School or Facility name,

City or Town,

From the list, select the country, and

Province or State.

Employment (Work/Occupation)

For co-op and post-graduation work permit applicants: information in this section are not required.

Provide the following information about your employment for the last 10 years. If you are retired, provide the 10 years before your retirement.

Question 1

Current Activity / Occupation

Provide details about your current Activity / Occupation:

Enter the dates (year and month) you have been working at your occupation,

The activity/occupation or a brief description of your position. If you do not work, describe what you are currently doing (retired, not working, going to school, etc.),

Indicate the name of the company or employer or facility where you work,

City or Town,

Country,

Province/State, if applicable.

Question 2

Previous Activity / Occupation

Provide details of your previous Activity / Occupation for the past 10 years. If you are retired, provide the 10 years before your retirement:

Note: If you need more space, print out an additional page of the form, complete this section and submit it with your application.

Background information

All questions in this section must be answered or the application will be considered incomplete and will be returned.

Question 1

Check the box to indicate if:

you or any of your family members have ever had tuberculosis of the lungs or been in close contact with a person with tuberculosis within the past two years.

you have any physical or mental disorder that would require social or health services other than medication during your stay in Canada.

If you checked “Yes” to any of the above questions, provide details and the name of the family member, if applicable.

Question 2

Check the box to indicate if you have ever:

remained beyond the validity of your status, attended school without authorization or worked without authorization in Canada?

been refused a visa or permit, denied entry or ordered to leave Canada or any other country.

applied previously to enter or remain in Canada.

If you checked “Yes” to one of the above questions, provide details.

Question 3

Check the box to indicate if you have ever:

committed,

been arrested for, or

been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country.

If you checked “Yes,” provide details.

Question 4

Check the box to indicate if you have ever served in any military, militia, civil defence unit, or serve in a security organization or police force (including non-obligatory national service, reserve or voluntary units).

If you checked “Yes,” provide your dates of service and the countries where you served.

Question 5

Check “Yes” or “No” to indicate if you have ever been a member or associated with any political party, or other group or organization which has engaged in or advocated violence as means to achieving a political or religious objective, or which has been associated with criminal activity at any time.

Question 6

Check “Yes” or “No” to indicate if you have ever witnessed or participated in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting or desecration of religious buildings.

To complete your form:

Once the application is completed, click on the “Validate” button located at the top or bottom of the form. This will generate a barcode page (page 5 of 5) - see image below. If this application form is completed on a computer and printed, you must place the barcode page on the top of your application (or if applying as a group, each individual application package).

Note: This barcode page will not appear if you fill out your application by hand.

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must sign and date in the boxes provided at the bottom of the page.

If you are less than 18 years of age, your form must be signed by one of your parents or a legal guardian.

Note: By signing, you certify that you fully understand the questions asked, and that the information you have provided is complete, accurate, and factual. If you do not sign and date the application form, it will be returned to you.

Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)

Who may use this form?

Fill out this form only if you:

are appointing a representative;

need to update contact information for your previously appointed representative; or

are cancelling a representative’s appointment.

If you have dependent children aged 18 years or older, they must fill out their own copy of this form if a representative is also conducting business on their behalf.

Who is a representative?

A representative is someone who:

you have appointed by completing the IMM 5476 form;

gives advice, consultation, or guidance to you at any stage of the application process; and

has your consent to conduct business on your behalf with IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

You are not obliged to hire a representative. We treat everyone equally, whether they use the service of a representative or not.

Paying the fees

Required fees

You must pay a Processing Fee for each service that you require and all fees must be submitted with your application. If you apply for more than one service on a single application you must add up the fees for each service and submit the total of the fees with your application.

You may submit an application for any of or a combination of the following services:

To extend your stay in Canada as a worker;

To request an initial work permit;

To restore your status as worker (restoration of temporary resident status due to loss of status).

Note: If you are a Refugee Claimant for whom no final decision has been made, or you have found to be a Convention Refugee or a Protected Person, you don’t need to pay the processing fee for work permits, study permits, or temporary resident permits.

If a decision has been made and you have not been found to be a Convention Refugee or a Protected Person, but are awaiting an appeal in federal court, you are required to pay the processing fee as a decision has been made on your initial application.

Use this chart to calculate the fees required for the services you are requesting. If you or your family members are applying for other services, you can pay the fees all together.

Note: It is not necessary to make a separate application for an extension of temporary resident status when you apply for a work or study permit. The officer will issue all the necessary documentation with the one application.

Application

$CAN

Work permit (including extensions) – per person

$155

Work permit (including extensions) – group of performing artists (3 or more)

Make sure that you are eligible before you pay your fees and that you provide all the information requested before you submit the application. The work permit processing fee ($155) will not be refunded, regardless of the final decision once the Case Processing Centre has started processing the application. For example, if your work permit has expired and you incorrectly apply for an extension of work permit, no refund for the extension will be provided and you will be asked to provide a second fee for the restoration.

Note:

If you are out of status and you are applying for a work permit, you must pay:

the work permit processing fee and

the fee to restore temporary resident status;

The fee to restore temporary resident status applies to each member who has lost his or her status.

If you are applying for an open work permit, you must pay the $100 open work permit fee in addition to the work permit fee of $155.

If we determine that you are not eligible, your application will be considered “processed” and your processing fees ($155) will not be refunded. If you apply again, you will have to pay the processing fees again.

If your application is refused, we will refund the open work permit fee.

At the end, click on the button to print the IRCC official receipt with barcode. Print two copies.

Attach a copy of this receipt to your completed application.

Keep the second copy of the receipt for your records.

Do not exit without printing the receipt! The printed receipt is your proof of payment!

Note

The only acceptable form of payment is online payment. If you send any other form of payment, IRCC will return your application.

You can submit an IMM 5401 payment receipt with your application only if it was date-stamped by a Canadian financial institution before April 1st, 2016.

Incorrect fee payment

Incorrect fee payments may delay processing.

Payment issue – No fee included

We will return your application.

Note: We will start processing of your application after you return your application with the fees.

Payment issue – Not enough fees included

We will return your application and tell you of how much to pay.

Note: We will start processing your application once you return your application with the correct fees.

Payment issue – Overpayment

We will:

start processing your application, and

send you a refund.

Note: You do not have to ask for a refund, it will be done automatically.

Payment issue – required biometric fee not included

We will:

tell you the fee amount and how to pay it.

Note: We will continue processing of your application after you send the missing fees.

Refunds

To obtain a refund, you need to send a written request to withdraw your application to the Case Processing Centre.

The processing fee is only refundable if we receive your request before processing has begun. Once we have started to process your application, there will be no refunds regardless of the final decision. We will issue the refund to the person indicated on the “Payer Information” section of the receipt. If there is no name indicated on the receipt, we will send the refund to you.

Write your name and address at the top left-hand corner of the envelope.

Have the post office weigh your envelope to ensure you put sufficient postage on it.

Mail the envelope.

What happens next?

If you need to take any further action regarding your application, we will inform you in writing.

If your application for a work permit is approved, an immigration document will be sent to you. If your application is refused, you can only stay in Canada until the expiry date of your current temporary resident status.

If you applied for restoration of your temporary resident status, you will receive a letter advising you of the decision and instructions to follow.

If your application is rejected as "incomplete", it is considered to have never been submitted and therefore you will have to re-apply. If your application is referred to a local office, you will be notified of this and will subsequently be contacted by this office.

There are certain things you can do to help ensure that your application is processed as fast as possible:

Ensure that all the documentation and information requested are provided with your application